Accepted Fate (16 page)

Kinzleigh

I'm having the most peaceful night sleep until I'm jolted awake by someone shaking my shoulder. I rub my eyes trying to wake up. "What time is it?"

Presley is standing over me beside the bed, talking in a hushed whisper. "It's almost two in the morning. We have to get going or my parents are going to ground me before my pool party." I then realize there is an arm wrapped around my stomach, holding me tightly as if to keep me from going anywhere. I can't see the look on Presley's face because it's dark, but I'm sure I'll hear about this later. I lift his arm carefully, slipping out of the bed as quietly as possible, to avoid waking him. Tonight was probably one of the best nights of my life. I'm not quite ready for it to be over yet.

Maybe I can spend a few days with him and then everything can go back to normal. He makes me feel things I never knew you could feel and I haven't decided if that's good or bad. I want to feel him out some more. He's so easy to talk to and be myself around. I don't have to pretend to be someone I'm not around him. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be friends with a guy. I can't deny I'm attracted to him. It sounds like neither one of us want to pursue anything more after hanging around each other for the time he's here, so maybe having a little fun won't ruin everything. At least when I have to leave this place, I'll have something to take with me. "Can you grab my clothes from the bathroom?" I continue her charade of whispering in hopes we can ease out of here without being caught.

"Yeah, but hurry up," she whispers walking to the bathroom. I walk around the bed to Breyson's side. I only have one thing to give to someone and that's my body. My heart will never be owned by another. That's just the way it is. I will forever hold my own heart in the palm of my hand. If I'm going to give a piece of myself away to someone else, I want it to be him. I've made up my mind. It may be stupid to lose my virginity without my heart involved, but that's the way it has to be. I won't risk everything in my life for something that will never last. It's time I do something for me instead of making everyone else happy.

I'm standing over him, looking down. He looks so peaceful. I bend over and whisper in his ear. "Thank you for tonight." I kiss him on the cheek and he stirs in his sleep. I still until he stops moving and head for the door, following behind Presley.

We quietly walk out of the door towards Presley's car. I can finally see her with the sensor operated flood light shining from the edge of the house. She looks at me, examining my clothes with a big smile on her face. "Shut up," I say smiling back at her. "I don't want to hear what is about to come out of your mouth. By the way, next time you want to rendezvous with a guy, can you at least be more private?" 

She unlocks her car and we get in and she starts the engine before saying anything in return. As she pulls out of the drive she decides to respond. "If what I think is about to happen, happens, you'll find out being less vocal is not always possible. That boy is one good piece of ass." She looks at me with a smirk pulling up on her mouth.

"Do you have to be so crude about it? It's really awkward." The smell of Breyson's clothes passes through my nasal passage. It smells so good. It's a really clean smell of laundry detergent mixed with only his smell. I think I may keep this shirt.

"It's only awkward for you love, but by the looks of you smelling that shirt, that may change soon." Crap, I've been busted. I didn't even realize I was smelling it noticeably.

We pass through the dark streets in silence. "Presley, can I ask you a question without getting a bunch of crap from you about it?"

She glances between the road and me. "Sure babe, what's up? You know I only give you heck because you're my bestie right? I'm always here if you need to talk."

"What's it like?" She scrunches her brows showing she is clearly confused. "Sex I mean. Is it worth it? Losing your virginity."

"Whoa, Kinzleigh are you thinking about giving him your V-card?"

I shrug my shoulders. "I don't know. I'm just starting to wonder why I'm still hanging onto it is all. Most people, with it still intact, are saving it for the person they intend to give their heart to, but I don't plan on giving mine to anyone. He's just...different and maybe after tonight I'm a little curious. I've never been interested in anyone before. What better person than that to give it to. He's leaving in a few days Presley. It could be one of those awesome weeks you have and remember it forever."

She is watching the road, deep in thought. "I don't know Kinzleigh; your first time hurts. It isn't really enjoyable when you first start out which is why most people do it in a relationship. It kind of sucks at first; until your body gets used to it and that can take a few tries. Are you sure you can give something like that away without any emotion involved? It's kind of hard to go that far with someone and not develop an attachment. Even with my experience, I have to set myself in the right mind frame to not let emotions get in the way; it's human nature. What if you regret it? One day you may decide love is not your worst enemy."

I look at her, pulling my mouth up in disgust. "Um, no thanks. If I do this, it's for the point of avoiding that stuff."

We pull into Presley's house with a minute to spare. Parked behind my car is a white Porsche 911. As Presley kills the engine, I grab my wet clothes and walk towards the porch with her by my side. "Whose car is that?"

"Preston's, he just got home for summer vacation. He made the dean's list third year in a row at UC Berkeley. Since he's dad's mini me and will soon take his place in the Dunagin empire under dad after graduation, I guess dad is spoiling him for motivation to finish his business degree at the top of his class. Granddad is really on dad's case about stepping up as CEO so he can retire."

We get to the door and stop. Before Presley turns the knob, she looks at me. "Be quiet because I don't want my parents to see you dressed like that, not to mention Preston. You know he has had a killer crush on you for years. If he could ever take the Kinzleigh goggles off, he might actually stop sleeping around with every hot girl that walks in that frat house of his, unattached and settle down. He seems to think if he just has fun and stays single, you'll come to your senses and see that he's the best guy for you. I'm pretty sure if you gave him the go ahead, he'd have a ring picked out and purchased the day he graduates college."

I roll my eyes. Presley is always giving Preston crap about having a crush on me. I think she is one string being severed, away from insanity, but what do I know? There is no way Preston Dunagin is waiting around to date me. He's gorgeous with the same brown hair and blue eyes as Presley. He kind of reminds me of an Abercrombie model the way he's built. He's attractive and he knows it, making him cocky. He's really high on the preppy scale also; a pretty boy. He has that rich boy persona down pat. He tends to whore around a little too much for me, plus I've known Preston all my life. I'm not settling down ever, most likely, and nothing good ever comes from dating a friend of the family. It would ruin everything because it's destined for failure. Our families are too entwined for that to happen. I'm not interested and will not pretend that I am, no matter how happy it would make our moms.

We walk inside and quietly shut the door. All the lights are off so obviously everyone is asleep. We tip toe across the marble floor to the large staircase in the center of the foyer. Presley is already halfway up the staircase to the second floor when I start up the stairs. I grab the rail and ascend my way up to the second floor. When I get to the top, we turn right and walk down the hallway to Presley's bedroom.

When we get inside, Presley shuts the door and turns on the light, letting out a sigh of relief. She looks at me and begins to smile. "So...I want details and lots of them. How did you end up dressed in his clothes, asleep in his bed with him wrapped around you and you're currently still holding on to your V-card?"

I knew I wasn't going to get away without telling her anything. She is always ready for the latest juicy gossip. "I'll tell you, but first I have to pee so you're going to have to wait." I walk into the bathroom and take care of my business.

I'm standing at the sink, bent over washing the smeared makeup off of my face, when I feel two hands wrap around me from behind. I have soap all over my face and my eyes closed so I can't see who it is, but I have an idea. Presley and Preston's rooms are separated by a connecting bathroom that they share. Since he lives at the frat house on campus Presley has pretty much taken over, but they share when he's home for holidays and summer vacation. As I'm trying to rinse the soap off my face, a body aligns to the back side of mine. "I'm glad you're here," he says at a low whisper into my ear.

I grab a hand towel near the sink and stand upright, drying the water from my face. When I open my eyes, staring into the mirror in front of me, I see Preston towering over my short body. I turn around, standing against the counter. "Preston, what are you doing?"

"Something I should have done a long time ago." He leans forward, placing each palm on the counter, entrapping me, making us eye level. He is really close to my face, making me slightly uncomfortable. I try to look off to the side to put some distance between us. "When are you going to stop making me chase after you? When are you going to stop being difficult and give me a chance? You know we'd be good together. Our moms are dying to find a way to combine our families. I graduate in a year and I'll take my dad's place as CFO. I could take care of you and give you everything you want."

Is he on something? He has always been flirty but never all this. Maybe Presley isn't crazy after all. I guess I never considered the fact that they may talk like Konnor and I do. I turn my head back to him but try to lean back so he's not practically kissing me. "What are you talking about Preston? Where is all this coming from? Are you drunk and scheming to get in my pants because it's not happening. You have plenty of other girls trailing behind you willing to give it up, that you don't have to lie to."

It doesn't work though. He grabs me by the waist, picking me up and sets me on the counter allowing his frustration to be voiced. "You've known me your entire life Kinzleigh. Do you really think I'd tell you this to get laid? I would never do that to you. I want to be with you Kinzleigh." He scoots me to the edge of the countertop. "I have wanted you since I was twelve and you were nine and you came barreling into my fort demanding to be included. I've never wanted anything the way I want you."

I'm sitting there, blinking as if he just slapped me. He actually looks dead serious. "That's never going to happen Preston."

He looks angry. "Why the hell not? Just give me a chance. I can be what you want and what you need. I know you better than anyone."

"I have goals and dreams. None of them entail being a trophy wife and having kids. I highly doubt I'll even get married at all. I don't even date."

He is now looking over my body. He must realize I'm wearing male clothing. He is clenching his jaw. "Whose clothes are you wearing Kinzleigh? Are you sleeping with him?"

Now I'm started to get angry. "How is any of that your business? What if I am? I'm not yours to have and control, first of all. Secondly, you sleep with everything walking that is female, pretty much, so how dare you question my sexual activity."

He stands upright; closing his eyes and rubs his hands over his face, releasing a breath in aggravation. "I won't give up until I convince you. We belong together. You may not think so now, but I'll show you. I know about your cheerleading dream and I can help give that to you. You don't want to get married a while, fine, but I will make you mine. I don't stop when there is something I want and you, Kinzleigh, are what I want. You don't want me to sleep around..." He walks closer cupping my face in his hands, lifting my head to look at him. "Then fine, consider it done. I don't need another girl to satisfy me. I was just buying my time until I could have you. They aren't satisfying me anymore anyway. You're almost eighteen now." He lines my body with his. "I will claim you as mine sooner or later. You deserve the best and I have the means to give it to you. The sooner you realize that, the sooner we can stop playing these games and I can start giving it to you."

I'm stunned speechless. He brings his head in closely, tilting his head. "I want you to be mine." He touches his lips to mine and I try to pull away but I can't even move. His lips aren't as soft as Breyson's. He kisses a little rougher and faster. He slides his tongue inside the opening of my lips. I can't bring myself to kiss him back. It doesn't feel right. None of this feels right. He nibbles on my lower lip and then releases my lips from his. "You may not kiss me back now, but one day you will. I will wait until that day. I won't try to kiss you again until then, but know that I will never stop chasing until I catch you."
He's going to be chasing a long time
, I think.

Just then Presley walks in the door. "Babe, what on earth is taking you so long? Did you fall....oh." She looks like a person would look, who just walked in on her parents going at it, terrified and freaked out. "Am I interrupting?" She is standing with one hand on the door frame and the other on the door knob.

"No, I was just finishing up in here." I push Preston by the chest so he will get the hint and move. As he backs up, I jump off the counter and take off towards Presley's room almost knocking her over to get through the door.

"Think about what I said," he calls out as I come barreling through the door.

Presley peeks into her bedroom before she walks in the bathroom door saying, "I'll be right out. Find something to watch okay?" I nod and the door clicks shut. I have no idea what she's up to because all I hear are hushed whispers. I can only imagine what that looked like with him standing between my legs, holding my face in his hands.

I sit on the bed's edge and place my hands over my face, shaking my head. What just happened? Is he insane? He can't possibly think I'm going to change my mind. Can he? Somehow, I need to rectify this or our family gatherings are going to be really awkward.